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IV

106TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 421

Expressing the sense of the Congress with respect to the accomplishments of the U.S.S. (BB–43) during World War II.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

OCTOBER 10, 2000 Mr. BRYANT submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the Congress with respect to the accomplishments of the U.S.S. TENNESSEE (BB–43) during World War II.

Whereas the U.S.S. TENNESSEE (BB–43) suffered signifi- cant damage during the Japanese attack on Pearl Har- bor on December 7, 1941, after which the ship was re- paired and her crew retrained for battle in the Pacific during World War II; Whereas during the four years following the attack on , the U.S.S. TENNESSEE fired 9,347 shells from her 14-inch guns, 46,341 shells from her 5-inch guns, and more than 100,000 rounds from her anti- aircraft batteries; Whereas the U.S.S. TENNESSEE’s four-year tour through the Pacific marks the largest number of shells fired by 2 a ship in combat in the entire history of the ; Whereas the U.S.S. TENNESSEE and her crew participated in 13 major operations during World War II, logging 339 days in combat; Whereas the U.S.S. TENNESSEE suffered damage at , , and Okinawa, but remained in battle, with her crew making emergency repairs; Whereas during the Battle for Gulf in the Philippines on October 23–26, 1944, the U.S.S. TENNESSEE as- sisted in defeating the last major Japanese naval coun- teroffensive of the war; Whereas during the Battle of on October 24– 25, 1944, the U.S.S. TENNESSEE’s accuracy of fire helped defeat the invading Japanese naval fleet and save the Leyte landing beachhead; Whereas the performance of the U.S.S. TENNESSEE dur- ing World War II excelled due to her length of service, degree of enemy reaction encountered, amount of main and secondary battery ammunition expended, and effec- tiveness of gunfire delivered; Whereas the crew of the U.S.S. TENNESSEE was awarded the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 10 battle stars and the World War II Victory Medal for their World War II service; Whereas the crew of the U.S.S. TENNESSEE was awarded 10 battle stars, for actions during— (1) the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941, and the Aleutians Campaign, from June to August 1943; (2) the Operation, from November 18 to December 8, 1943;

•HCON 421 IH 3 (3) the Operation, from January to March 1944; (4) the Marianas Operation, from June to August 1944; (5) the Capture and Occupation, from July 24 to August 1, 1944; (6) the Western Caroline Islands Operation, from September 6 to October 14, 1944; (7) the Leyte Operation, from August to November 1944; (8) the Iwo Jima Operation, from February 15 to March 16, 1945; (9) the Okinawa Gunto operation, from March 24 to June 30, 1945; and (10) the Third Fleet Operations against Japan, from July 10 to August 15, 1945; Whereas after World War II, the Secretary of the Navy con- vened a special board to review recommendations for awards of decorations and medals that had been denied during World War II, which reviewed the case of the U.S.S. TENNESSEE and did not recommend to the President the award of the Presidential Unit Citation for the crew of the ship; and Whereas the U.S.S. TENNESSEE was in action during World War II from December 7, 1941, to August 15, 1945, but in considering whether to recommend the award of the Presidential Unit Citation, the Secretary of the Navy took into consideration only the period from January 31, 1944, to June 21, 1945, which excludes the time during which four battle stars were awarded: Now, therefore, be it 1 Resolved, That the Congress—

•HCON 421 IH 4 1 (1) commends those who served on the U.S.S. 2 TENNESSEE (BB–43) for their service to the Na- 3 tion and their role in the ship’s 13 major operations 4 during World War II, including the 5 Gulf, during which the U.S.S. TENNESSEE played 6 a role in the last naval action fought by a battle line; 7 and 8 (2) urges the Secretary of the Navy to recon- 9 sider the decision whether to recommend to the 10 President the award of the Presidential Unit Cita- 11 tion to the World War II crew of the U.S.S. TEN- 12 NESSEE. Æ

•HCON 421 IH